October 30, 2012--Teflon Romney
How can flip-flopping, dissembling, gaff-machine Mitt Romney be running even with the more consistent, well-informed, accomplished, by comparison straight-shooter Barack Obama?
To search for an answer one has to begin by acknowledging that the more likable president, who actually achieved much during four years in spite of Republican intransigence, engendered entirely too much hope during his first campaign and seriously over-promised, as is common for non-incumbents. And, as a campaigner, especially as a debater, Obama also turns out to be a much better insurgent than incumbent.
More significant, hope felt to be unfulfilled is politically toxic. As they say, "The first time shame on you. The second time shame on me." When it comes to hope and belief this pretty well sums up how one can understandably at reelection time feel jilted and betrayed.
This is a powerful emotional and political reality for anyone, much less a president, to overcome. So Romney, or whatever candidate Republicans nominated, begins with this advantage--at least 40 percent of voters are eager to vote for any GOP candidate as long as he isn't Obama. Even such a desperately ambitious empty-suit as Mitt Romney.
No matter the limits of his vision and the deep flaws in his character, Romney seems as Teflon coated as Ronald Reagan. Reagan could stumble and bumble his way into Iran Contra and such but nothing ever stuck to him politically.
During the Republican primary season earlier this year Romney talked about how "Corporations are people, my friend"; and when attempting to represent himself as just an Average Joe, in spite of his seven houses and car elevators, he talked about his NASCAR friends--the owners; and how he loved "cheesy grits." And then of course, he reached out to make a friendly bet with opponent Rick Perry--a casual $10,000 bet. He even refused to release more than a year or two of income tax returns, causing many to wonder what he had to hide, considering from the ones he reluctantly released we learned he paid only 14% in income taxes.
But, in spite of this, one-by-one the opposition fell by the wayside. Each of them, even preposterous Michele Bachmann and ludicrous Herman Cain for a few days or a week took the lead in the poll--as, of course, did the out-of-control Donald Trump. They tumbled. Then more credible candidates Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum rose to the top only in turn to be bested by Romney.
In spite of the way in which the Mitt Romney, who was opposed by many from the Republican base (recall how they viewed the Mormon religion as a cult), dodged and weaved his way through the field, and though east and west coasters thought of Romney as not much better than the "clowns" he had run against (even some Republicans referred to their field this way), he turned out to be the last one standing and was thought to be an easy opponent for Obama.
But Romney didn't get to be a successful corporate raider, my friends, and amass hundreds of millions in personal wealth just because he looks good in the mirror. He in fact did not inherit his business or his millions from his father--he is in many ways self-made. And he learned a few things along the way.
Most germane to the election--he learned how to win. And he may be on the edge of winning the biggest prize of all.
My favorite little-reported story about Romney's political smarts was the meeting he had with the Rev. Billy Graham. In October, he made a pilgrimage to Graham's home in Montreat, N.C., and after a chat, the reverend's website, which had a page devoted to how Mormonism is a cult, no longer had that page.
Graham then said,
Teflon Romney even appears to be getting away with his infamous 47 percent tape. What other candidate could still be standing after something so offensive to those 47 percent?
It can only be that there is so much frustration with what Obama promised and only partly deliver and the fact that he isn't white.
To search for an answer one has to begin by acknowledging that the more likable president, who actually achieved much during four years in spite of Republican intransigence, engendered entirely too much hope during his first campaign and seriously over-promised, as is common for non-incumbents. And, as a campaigner, especially as a debater, Obama also turns out to be a much better insurgent than incumbent.
More significant, hope felt to be unfulfilled is politically toxic. As they say, "The first time shame on you. The second time shame on me." When it comes to hope and belief this pretty well sums up how one can understandably at reelection time feel jilted and betrayed.
This is a powerful emotional and political reality for anyone, much less a president, to overcome. So Romney, or whatever candidate Republicans nominated, begins with this advantage--at least 40 percent of voters are eager to vote for any GOP candidate as long as he isn't Obama. Even such a desperately ambitious empty-suit as Mitt Romney.
No matter the limits of his vision and the deep flaws in his character, Romney seems as Teflon coated as Ronald Reagan. Reagan could stumble and bumble his way into Iran Contra and such but nothing ever stuck to him politically.
During the Republican primary season earlier this year Romney talked about how "Corporations are people, my friend"; and when attempting to represent himself as just an Average Joe, in spite of his seven houses and car elevators, he talked about his NASCAR friends--the owners; and how he loved "cheesy grits." And then of course, he reached out to make a friendly bet with opponent Rick Perry--a casual $10,000 bet. He even refused to release more than a year or two of income tax returns, causing many to wonder what he had to hide, considering from the ones he reluctantly released we learned he paid only 14% in income taxes.
But, in spite of this, one-by-one the opposition fell by the wayside. Each of them, even preposterous Michele Bachmann and ludicrous Herman Cain for a few days or a week took the lead in the poll--as, of course, did the out-of-control Donald Trump. They tumbled. Then more credible candidates Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum rose to the top only in turn to be bested by Romney.
In spite of the way in which the Mitt Romney, who was opposed by many from the Republican base (recall how they viewed the Mormon religion as a cult), dodged and weaved his way through the field, and though east and west coasters thought of Romney as not much better than the "clowns" he had run against (even some Republicans referred to their field this way), he turned out to be the last one standing and was thought to be an easy opponent for Obama.
But Romney didn't get to be a successful corporate raider, my friends, and amass hundreds of millions in personal wealth just because he looks good in the mirror. He in fact did not inherit his business or his millions from his father--he is in many ways self-made. And he learned a few things along the way.
Most germane to the election--he learned how to win. And he may be on the edge of winning the biggest prize of all.
My favorite little-reported story about Romney's political smarts was the meeting he had with the Rev. Billy Graham. In October, he made a pilgrimage to Graham's home in Montreat, N.C., and after a chat, the reverend's website, which had a page devoted to how Mormonism is a cult, no longer had that page.
Graham then said,
I realize this election could be my last. I believe it is vitally important that we cast our ballots for candidates who base their decisions on biblical principles and support the nation of Israel. I urge you to vote for those who protect the biblical definition of marriage between a man and a woman.Forget for the moment that there is no such "biblical definition" of marriage (though there there are many that support bigamy (for example, how many wives did Solomon have? Hint, the Bible says 700 wives plus 300 concubines), this statement from Billy Graham sounds like an endorsement to me.
Teflon Romney even appears to be getting away with his infamous 47 percent tape. What other candidate could still be standing after something so offensive to those 47 percent?
It can only be that there is so much frustration with what Obama promised and only partly deliver and the fact that he isn't white.
posted by Steven Zwerling at
5:25 AM
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